EPM AUTOMATE UTILITY – copyfilefrominstance, listfiles & deletefile

Oracle added a new EPM Automate utility with July-2018 update. A new version of the EPM Automate Utility is available with this update. This version includes the copyfilefrominstance command, which copies a file from a source environment to the target environment from which you run the command.

This version also includes changes to the following commands to make them consistent with other file operation commands:

listfiles: now lists snapshots and files available in an environment.

deletefile: now deletes snapshots and files from an environment.

Let’s explore the new version of the utility & try these commands.

copyfilefrominstance: Copies a file from a source environment to the environment (target) from which you run this command. Before running this command, start an EPM Automate Utility session and sign into the target environment.

Syntax:

epmautomate copyfilefrominstance SOURCE_FILE_NAME USERNAME PASSWORD_FILE URL IDENTITYDOMAIN TARGET_FILE_NAME

where:

• SOURCE_FILE__NAME is the name of the file (including extension) that you want to copy from the source environment.

• USERNAME is the user name of a Service Administrator of the source environment.

• PASSWORD_FILE is the name and location of the file containing the encrypted password of the Service Administrator of the source environment.

• URL is the URL of the source environment.

• IDENTITYDOMAIN is the identity domain of the source environment.

• TARGET_FILE_NAME is a unique name for the file (including extension) in the environment from which you run this command.

Example:

epmautomate copyfilefrominstance "abcd.zip" username "C:\users\documents\ EPMAutomate\password.epw" https://test-cloud-pln.pbcs.us1.oraclecloud.com IdentityDomain "target data file.zip"

listfiles: Lists the files in the

·       default location,

·       Data Management folders,

·       inbox/ outbox.

·       Also lists incremental and backup export files, and Migration snapshots.

Syntax:

epmautomate listfiles

deletefile: Deletes

·       a file

·       or a snapshot from the default upload location,

·       a Data Management folder,

·       or from profitinbox/profitoutbox.

To delete a file from a location other than the default upload location, you must specify the file location.

Syntax:

epmautomate deletefile "location/FILE_NAME"

Thanks for your time in reading this, meet you all in the next post!!!!

Best Regards,

SST.!

How to Encrypt the Admin Password When Used on a Batch Script

Hi there :)

In this post we will work on encryption of administration password for cloud by using the EPMAUTOMATE utility which we use in batch scripting. Below are the steps we have to follow to encrypt it.

Before continuing, ensure the EPMAUTOMATE has been installed on the computer from which you are running the utility.

1. Click Start, then All Programs, then EPM Automate, and then Launch EPM Automate.

2. Generate a password encryption file. You use the password encryption file to pass encrypted password to initiate a session.

Command Line Example:

epmautomate encrypt P@ssword1 myKey C:\Oracle\EPM\bin\password.epw

• PASSWORD is the password of the Service Administrator in the service. You cannot use corporate credentials with the EPM Automate Utility.
• KEY is the private key that is to be used to encrypt the password.
• PASSWORD_FILE is the name and location of the file that stores the encrypted password. The password file must use the .epw extension.

3. Start a session as a Service Administrator. Use a command line as describe.

epmautomate login adminid C:\Oracle\EPM\bin\password.epw

https://test-cloudpln.pbcs_us1.oraclecloud.com IdentityDomain

4. Sign out of the Service instance.

epmautomate logout


Thanks for your time in reading this, meet you all in the next post!!!!

Best Regards,

SST.!

ABOUT ORACLE PBCS?

What is Oracle PBCS?

Oracle PBCS is an Oracle Cloud product called Planning Budgeting Cloud Service which has been recently renamed as Planning and Budgeting Cloud. PBCS is the first Hyperion EPM product on cloud and it is an application based on Oracle Hyperion Planning that supports enterprise-wide planning, budgeting, and forecasting in the cloud. PBCS’s core functionality is the same as Oracle Hyperion Planning on-premises.

Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud offers integrations with Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint using the “Smart View” plugin for planning and financial reports, this means that users can view planning data forms from within Microsoft Excel with the same functionality as the web-based interface. Both interfaces support ad-hoc analysis of data where row, column and page dimensions can be pivoted to create different views of the same data.

Oracle PBCS Pricing

Data centers or cloud servers where PBCS is hosted are owned and maintained by Oracle. Since there is no CAPEX infrastructure cost, virtually no learning curve and minimal IT resources required, the PBCS solution can be used by a company of any size. The cost structure for PBCS is a per user per month license.

Maintenance Costs

Software versions are always up-to-date and maintained by Oracle, allowing clients to the latest and greatest version without requiring any downtime to upgrade. Oracle provides test and production environments for every PBCS implementation. Oracle updates test environments first and then gives notice for when updates are planned, what the changes are and the issues that are resolved in the new version.

Loading Data

Financial Data Quality Management Enterprise Edition (FDMEE) is also part of the Planning and Budgeting Cloud and is used to load data to planning BSO (block storage) and ASO (aggregate storage) cubes. Planning data can be moved from BSO to ASO cubes and other reporting data can also be loaded to ASO cubes directly. Data in PBCS can also be loaded through EPM Automate, a utility that enables you to automate certain common administrative tasks.

Deploying Oracle PBCS

Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud comes with flexible deployment options. Clients can choose to deploy the planning application on the cloud or it can be used in tandem with on-premise Hyperion Planning applications. It is a great tool for clients who already have on-premise Hyperion Planning as they can use PBCS to develop and test new applications on the cloud before choosing to deploy it on-premises.

Thank you

SST.!

Frequent asked questions related to Hyperion Planning\ Essbase On-Prem vs On Cloud (PBCS).

How to migrate On-Prem Planning\Essbase applications to Oracle PBCS?

For customers with existing Hyperion Planning applications, the migration path from Hyperion Planning to PBCS is very easy. If a customer is on 11.1.2.3.500 or greater, it is a three-click process:

1. Use Lifecycle Management and export the application definition,
2. Upload through the automation utility in PBCS, and
3. Import it on the PBCS side. Earlier versions may require minor modifications to the XML files for the LCM packet, but we have yet to see a migration that takes more than a few hours.

There are also many part of your on-premises Hyperion Planning application that won't migrate and many files you'll need to adjust.

Does PBCS have the same functionality as Hyperion Planning?

It’s been a couple of year that PBCS is announced and couple years ahead of on prem Planning in different ways — some of the important one’s are.

The two applications have a complete different user interface. Hyperion Planning still uses Workspace, while all pods in the cloud no longer have Workspace. The simplified interface is all that's available on PBCS, which has significant advantages.

From an administrative perspective, the cloud environment is significantly easier to administer because you don't have to manage things like server-to-server point communications, logs and tuning, etc.

PBCS doesn’t have rules for data load, report script to export data and Maxl Automation scripts.

PBCS comes with EPM automate utilities to schedule processes. Data management to create load rules.

How do data loads and pushes occur?

PBCS comes with inbuilt data integration tools. If you are familiar with Oracle FDM or FDMEE, FDMEE is embedded directly within the PBCS application called data management.

Load data directly into PBCS using the web interface.

PBCS includes the EPM Automate Utility to schedule simple data loads or using data management rule. Users can run EPM automate from their local machines as well.

How do dimension builds occur?

There are different ways we can use load dimensions.

PBCS allows direct dimension maintenance inside of Smart View, if you have hierarchy definitions that live in an Excel file, you can import them directly through Smart View or apply them.

Another way is to load the .csv\text file directly into the web interface.

Users can use the EPM Automate Utility to upload the dimension build files.

Make change directly in create and manage – Dimensions.

Enterprise Data management cloud also supports PBCS and EPBCS formats and import metadata to EPM Cloud.

Cube need to be refreshed to apply changes. If refresh is required during day the application can be put into maintenance mode to ensure that users are all out, and changes applied to the database.

How many plan types are available in PBCS?

3 BSO, 3 ASO, and 1 consolidated plan type for reporting.

How to move\copy data between PBCS cubes?

Smart Push is the new feature which allows the data to be moved to the reporting cube almost immediately. You can move application data from:

• Block Storage cubes to aggregate storage cubes
• Block Storage cubes to block storage cubes

Export and import using text\csv files.

Use data management to move data between cubes.

How to connect to PBCS?

Smart View.

PBCS - URL (Oracle provides unique URL for your company to connect to PBCS)

EPM Automate utilities.

On Prem - FDMEE

What web browsers does PBCS support?

Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Safari

Is it possible to use a spreadsheet located on the client machine to connect to the Cloud application?

Yes. Just like any On-Premise Planning application, PBCS can use Financial Reporting Studio and Smart View to perform both ad-hoc retrieves as well as perform Financial Reporting for those who want a better visual display of the data. 

How would we load ERP source data into PBCS?

FDMEE, which has replaced FDM, would be the best solution for providing an ERP flat file in addition to performing mappings and importing the source data into your PBCS application.

Can the "Planner" role carry out ad-hoc analysis in read-only mode in PBCS?

Yes, this is a common scenario. Users with read-only access have full capability to do ad-hoc reporting. 

How do we maintain security in PBCS regarding shared services?

PBCS security is not synced with MSAD via connection to the MSAD; it is either manually controlled or imported via .csv for the users who are later provisioned for PBCS. Provisioning is also not performed in Shared Services for PBCS. It is controlled in the Oracle Cloud Identity Console.

How long migration from on prem to cloud takes?

A common misconception about cloud migration is that it will be a one time trip. But the reality is that the process of migrating data infrastructure to the cloud should happen gradually. A successful migration should feel as seamless as possible to the organization, so work isn't disrupted. Usually it takes around 8 weeks for the end to end migration along with consideration of new features of PBCS and 2-3 weeks for data validation after migration.

Thank you.

SST.!